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National Guard soldiers reunite with families after nearly a year away

More than 60 soldiers returned to Iowa on Saturday afternoon after spending 11 months away

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Updated: 6:39 AM CDT Mar 19, 2017

National Guard soldiers reunite with families after nearly a year away

More than 60 soldiers returned to Iowa on Saturday afternoon after spending 11 months away

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Updated: 6:39 AM CDT Mar 19, 2017

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WEBVTT soil. <Nat of plane landing ...>It may have been their shortest journey of the past 11 months...But the walk from the airplane... <09;48-52 "just give him to me already... They've had him long enough.To this moment Saturday...<26;33-36 "battalions! Dismissed!"applause> may have felt like thelongest... <26;45 "DADDY!""hi sweetie."><29;22 "it's very easy to cry. I mean, a big toughguy just breaks down."> Justover 60 service men and women with the Iowa National Guardreturned home to cheers and tears...and even some unexpectedvisitors... <32;36-38 Tasha Throndson/Iowa National Guard "my mom surprised me and showed up."> <33;08-14 Tracy Dale/Mom "I got a text messageon Thursday morning saying herceremony would be on Saturday and all the stars aligned.">Others knew exactly who would bewaiting for them... <37;21-26 Liz Siemens/Wife "it was hard tohold him back. He wanted to climb over the fence to get tohim."> And once the soldiers gottheir embrace...<39;15-16 'ew'> It was hard to hold backtears... <36;45-47 Eric Siemens/Iowa National Guard "nothing better, right buggy?"> The unit spent most of theirtime in Afghanistan assisting soldiers on the battlefield.But it's the corn fields of Iowa, they were ready to see. <39;52-57 Lt. Col.Donald Mosinski/Battalio nCommander "words can't explain. It's so wonderful to come home."> <38;43-45 EricSiemens/Iowa National Guard "no it's not a fly- over state for

National Guard soldiers reunite with families after nearly a year away

More than 60 soldiers returned to Iowa on Saturday afternoon after spending 11 months away

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Updated: 6:39 AM CDT Mar 19, 2017

More than 60 soldiers returned to Iowa on Saturday afternoon after nearly a year away from home.

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The Iowa National Guard unit flew into the Des Moines Airbase around 3 p.m. as hundreds of family members and friends eagerly awaited their arrival.

The unit was away from home for 11 months. They started training in Fort Hood, Texas, before being deployed to Afghanistan.

“It was our job to make sure that if there was anything the soldiers needed, the war fighter needed, we assisted in moving it throughout the battlefield,” said Lt. Col. Donald Mosinski, battalion commander.